Zsa's Gourmet Ice Cream Review

Zsa's Gourmet Ice Cream is an artisanal small-batch producer of ice cream. From pints of ice cream to ice-cream sandwiches, they've got a variety of indulgent treats to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth. You can often find them at HeadHouse or Rittenhouse Square - be sure to follow them on Twitter to get your fix! 

On a recent weekend afternoon, the GF came home with a pint of Zsa's salted caramel - as soon as I saw the small-batch design of the pint, I knew we were in for a treat. 

Salted Caramel [$8]
 

The salted caramel was sweet and rich - that nutty point right before burnt. The interplay between salty and sweet was done to great effect. The ice cream itself was incredibly creamy with an almost gelato-like consistency. 

If you're looking for high-quality ice cream with unique seasonal flavors and know that Zsa's Gourmet Ice Cream is nearby, run - don't walk. 

Christos' Falafel Truck Review

Right outside my workplace on 20th and Market, you'll notice several food trucks on the corner. But the one you want to go to is unmistakable. Just head towards the sights and smells of charcoal-grilled meats and you can't miss it. Gus of Christos' Falafel Truck has a large following and the wait can be unbearable. It's not only because of the delicious smells you have to endure while waiting in line, but the wait that Gus forces upon his customers.

Credit: Yelp

Why the wait? Gus makes sure your order is perfect and he needs to take the time to promulgate the fact that his ingredients are the freshest in the city. If you see a line 5 people deep, expect a wait of 20-30 minutes. And don't you dare contradict what Gus is saying or ask for 2 orders. You'll incur his wrath. In fact, one of my co-workers were banned for life for giving him lip and is now missing out on good eats for life.

So wait patiently on line, get your $10 ready and that's really all you need to do. He knows what you want and what you need - there's no ordering or substituting here. 

Falafel Platter [$10]
Falafel, charcoal grilled chicken, chickpea red pepper rice, hummus, gooseberries, watercress, bread, orange

On one particular day, I received a freh watercress salad on top of a sweet hummus, which had a great garlicky undertone. Fair warning, garlic is the name of the game here - you won't realize it at first because it's incorporated so well, but eventually you'll realize it's quite overpowering. So carry some breath mints!

 

Underneath the salad was a bevy of charcoal-grilled chicken - extremely moist and juicy. One of the highlights of Gus's food truck is the fact that it's one of the few charcoal grill trucks in Philly - and he uses it to great effect!

In addition to the great chicken, the falafel was some of the best I have ever eaten. Incredibly garlicky, but light and crispy, I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and I wouldn't crave anything else. Yes, it's that good. 

Between the potent, yet delicious garlic bombs and the incredible hummus, you're in for a treat. The falafel is better than Mama's Vegetarian and the bevy of trucks I've tried in NY. As Gus says, it's not the best in the city, in the planet. I believe it's a contender.

Underneath the falafel was tender red pepper rice as well.

And some gorgeous gooseberries from a South Philly market were provided - a nice palate cleanser in light of all that garlic. 

I also received some lightly grilled baguette and an orange for later.

So for $10, this is quite a steal. Easily one of the best lunches in the city. Gus is available from around 11AM to 4PM during the week, but he's usually on vacation for most of the winter. If you see the smoke rising on 20th street - run, don't walk! Be sure to get your falafel fix. 

Christos' Falafel Truck

20th and Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

2015 Philly Vendy Awards Review

This past weekend, I attended the 5th annual Philadelphia Vendy Awards. This city has been a good haven for food trucks, following in the footsteps of LA and NYC. And what better way to showcase this than with a battle of the trucks? For a tax-deductible $65 a person, the proceeds benefit the Food Trust - an organization entrenched in providing healthy and affordable food access. It's also the brains behind the city's Night Markets.

What does a ticket to the Vendy Awards get you? An all-access pass to some of the best food trucks in the area - food and drinks included. This year, the JFK Bridge leading to 30th Street Station was closed off, providing the perfect venue.

Sly Fox was on hand with several beers on hand. Santa Cristina wines and GUS (Grown Up Sodas) were also providing generous pours of their wines and adult sodas, respectively.

And the food trucks? While Mom-Mo's, Mixin Bowl, and Jerry's Kitchen appeared to be no shows, there was more than enough to fill your Philly foodie belly. In the running for the 2015 Vendy Cup were Foolish Waffles, Flying Deutschman, and the Butter Truck. Rookie of the Year candidates included Philly Fry, Seoulfull Philly, Rigatoni's Mobile Crabcakes, and Las Olas Food Trucks. And last but not least, the dessert finalists featured Sweet Lavender, Jimmies Cupcake Co, Luscious Bakery, Pound Cake Heaven, and Undrgrnd Donuts.

SeoulFullPhilly - Mini Cheesesteak Koreans
Korean BBQ marinated beef, whiz, sauteed kimchi, onions
  

Rookie of the Year winner Seoulfull Philly had one of the longest lines of the day. They were still masters of churning out their Korean-American fusion of cheesesteaks. While a bit high on the bread-to-meat ratio, the soft pillowy roll housed well-seasoned Korean BBQ marinated beef, whiz, onions, and sauteed kimchi to bring out funky depth.

Rigatoni's Mobile Crabcakes 
 

Rigatoni's crabcakes provided perfect bite-size morsels of sweet crab, accented by a lightly spicy aioli. 

Flying Deutschman - Knockwurst & Bratwurst Samplers
Spicy mustard, curry ketchup

The Flying Deutschman brought out a sampling of both their knockwurst and bratwurst, which were snappy, juicy, and nicely paired with a spicy mustard and a curry ketchup with some depth.

Las Olas - Vegetarian Bowl
 

Las Olas had the healthiest dish of the day with their healthy Mexican fare. And while I'm not generally one who tries to watch his waistline, this was a surprisingly flavorful blend of quinoa, black beans, sour cream, and chips. 

Philly Fry - Surf and Turf Waffle Fries
Steak, crab meat, American cheese, Old Bay, waffles fries
  

Philly Fry's long line was worth the wait. There were a myriad of options on offer, including a base of regular, waffle, or curly fries, topped with crab, steak, cheese, or buffalo sauce. I went with the surf and turf, which wasn't the prettiest dish, but certainly tasty. The beef was juicy and well-seasoned, with the sweet crab accented by the Old Bay. And the fries? As crisp as they could be! 

Butter Sandwich Truck - Japanese Curry Chips 
Handcut griddle chips, sour cream, cotija, sweet white onion, parsley, homemade curry roux  

The Butter Truck had Japanese curry fries, which featured thin potato medallions with a lightly spicy curry sauce balanced by the cool sour cream. 

Foolish Waffles - Pork Belly Bahn Mi Waffle
Coriander-black pepper glazed pork belly, pickled red cabbage, fresh cucumbers, jalapenos, cilantro, sriracha, Brussels waffle
  

My favorite dish of the day? Obviously the pork belly bahn mi. So much so that I went up again to get their sweet waffle (strawberry-rhubarb), but had to get another pork belly! The crisp Brussels waffle had a hearty sweetness that was the perfect counterpoint to the heft of the black-pepper glazed pork belly. The pickled red cabbage and the freshness of the cilantro and jalapeno helped to provide additional balance to the dish. No wonder Foolish Waffles won the Vendy Cup!

Pound Cake Heaven - Red Velvet Cake
 

Pound Cake Heaven had the most options of the day- seemingly with their entire bakery on display. I opted for the red velvet cake, which was moist, light, and redolent with the richness of cream cheese. 

Sweet Lavender - Peach Cobbler
 

Sweet Lavender had a few options, including the peach cobbler. The crust was buttery, sugary, and flaky, revealing lightly spiced peaches that still had some bite. 

Jimmies Cupcake Co - Ice Cream Sandiches
James Brown - Salted toffee brownie, caramel, vanilla ice cream
Jimmy Appleseed - Cinnamon dusted pie crust, sweet baked apple ice cream
  

Jimmies Cupcake Co had two ice cream sandwiches that were clearly popular. The James Brown was richly flavored with the toffee brownie and the caramel highly present. This was all tempered by the clean flavors of vanilla. The Jimmy Appleseed's pie crust was a bit doughy, but the star was the ice cream, which had the essence of baked apples. Yum!

Luscious Bakery - Spaceship Express Sundae 
Signature sea salt chocolate chip cookie, vanilla bean ice cream, Makers Mark caramel, Belgian salted chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, spiced candied pecans  

Chef Jamie Landers of Luscious Bakery was previously a rocket scientist. And watching the appropriately named Spaceship Express Sundae being created was great fun. The soft sea salt chocolate chip cookie, the depth of the Makers Mark caramel, the Belgian salted chocolate sauce, the lightly spiced candied pecans, and the clean vanilla bean ice cream was the perfect melange of sweets. Likely a close contender for the Dessert Cup!

Undrgrnd Donuts - French Toast Donut
Maple swirl, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar 

In the end though, Undrgrnd Donuts won the Dessert Award and with good reason. They had a duo on offer, which started with their french toast donut. With a beautifully cakey base, the flavors of french toast were packed into each bite. 

Undrgrnd Donuts - The Homer Donut
Vanilla dunk, chocolate swirl, raw sugar, bacon
  

My favorite dessert of the day? The Homer. I mean c'mon. Everyone might be doing it, but when you've got perfectly crisp candied bacon on top of a flawless cake donut, you can't go wrong. Salty, sweet, savory, and succulent. 

I'm assuming that everyone who's reading this post has some sort of love for food. And if that's the case, there's no reason at all you should forgo your chance to taste food glory at the 2016 Vendy Awards. So be sure to look out for next year's event. And in the meantime, get out there! Support the mobile food trend and check out your favorite food trucks - both old and new. 

FTC Disclaimer: I received two complimentary tickets to the Vendy Awards. Regardless, all opinions are unbiased and mine alone.

Surf and Turf Truck Review

During Memorial Day weekend, the PHAIR open-air market was at Oval Park. Events at Oval Park often feature an impressive lineup and during that weekend, Surf and Turf was featured. The truck is manned by Adam Browne and sister-in-law Cindy Matas.

Their land and sea-based menu often features a duality in all things food - whether it's hot and sweet or sweet and spicy, they've got it covered. 

The GF and I were definitely in the mood for lobster rolls so we went with two. She was in the mood for chilled lobster, so I naturally went down the bacon route.

Chilled Lobster Roll [$12]
Mayo, kale, cabbage 

The bun was a bit jarring at first - it was huge. But it was buttered and warm, filled with an abundant portion of chilled lobster that was thankfully tossed with just a touch of mayo. Crunchy bits of kale (studded throughout Surf and Turf's menu) providing some texture amidst the buttery crustacean. A solid rendition. 

BLT Bacon Lobster & Tom Roll [$12]
Kale, cabbage, bacon, sun-dried tomato, truffle oil
 

There was a bit less lobster in this roll, but it's to be expected considering the additional ingredients and the fact that it was still the same price as the chilled lobster roll. The lobster was well-cooked and the sun-dried tomato added some great punch to each bite. The savory bacon and crispy kale offered some texture. The truffle oil perfumed the sandwich a bit much, but all things considered, this was certainly a hearty roll.

Overall, the Surf and Turf truck offers good lobster rolls at an affordable price. The over-sized bun may seem like a bit of a misstep, but it certainly contains an abundance of everyone's favorite crustacean. Be sure to look out for it at Philly's festivals throughout the summer.

http://www.surfandturftruck.com/ 

The Tot Cart Review

During Memorial Day weekend, the PHAIR open-air market was at Oval Park. Events at Oval Park often feature an impressive lineup and during that weekend, the Tot Cart was featured. Owner Julie Crist opened up shop in March 2013 and has since grown to be a mainstay in the heart of Philly foodies.

I missed out on my chance to try this Temple-based food truck during 2014's Old City Night Market (they were sold out within an hour or so). So while there was still a considerable line at PHAIR, the Tot Cart was ready for the belly of this pig.

Scanning the menu options, I had to go with the loaded tots - best of all worlds. 

Loaded Tater Tots [$6]
Tots, bacon, drunk cheese, sour cream

An abundant amount of taters were thrust into the bowl - a perfect amount for the price. The drunken cheese is naturally made with beer and a mix of cheese - heavenly. Forget cheese whiz - toss some of this on a cheesesteak and call it a day. The crispy bits of bacon added some savory saltiness, with the sour cream providing a cool, creamy element to each bite. This was so good I almost went right back in right after one bite.

Sometimes, good ideas take you back to childhood. The best ideas take something good and keep it relatively simple. Tot Cart - consider me sold. Everytime. 

The Tot Cart
www.thetotcart.com

PHAIR Festival: Oval Park Review

Happy Memorial Day everyone! As we mark the start of many events leading into the summer, PHAIR should definitely be on your list of things to check out. This is a giant, open-air market on 23rd and Arch streets in Oval Park - right in front of the Art Museum.

This past inaugural weekend, PHAIR was open from Thursday through Saturday. Last year, PHAIR ran every Saturday until early November, so I suspect this year may be the same.

Events at Oval Park often include an impressive lineup of various food trucks. This past weekend showcased the Foo Truck, Surf and Turf, and the Tot Cart. Look for a review of the latter two soon!

If you've gotten your fill for the evening, be sure to get your competitive spirit ready in the form of corn hole / bean bag toss. 

Or if life-size chess or checkers is more your speed, Oval Park and PHAIR have that for you as well! 

There will likely be a DJ or band playing as you gaze across the Philly skyline.

And please do check out the vendors selling their hand-crafted wares. Philly has certainly seen an influx of flea markets and festivals, but it's nice to see that we're great at events that reinforce community and small businesses. In a city that is often labeled as being the tops in morbidity or mortality, in the humble opinion of this pig, such events have made quite the difference.

Mac Mart Truck Review

Marti Lieberman's Mac Mart Truck has had a meteoric rise over the past year. Marketed as Philly's first and only Mac n Cheese food truck, it's an ingenious concept, brought forth by the focused marketing plan of Ms. Lieberman. From the name to the bright pink design, it's clear that this Drexel alum was made for this.

She's a mainstay at the 33rd street food truck scene, but with the press nipping at her designer heels, it's no surprise that she's a continuous presence at a variety of special events. Whether it's catering for the Starr Restaurants' executive team or a media event for Outward Bound Philadelphia, there's a reason everyone's clamoring for the Mac Mart Truck and it starts with the mac.

While the local media came out to cover Outward Bound Philadelphia rappelling off of the Four Seasons Hotel a few months back, I came to indulge in a bevy of mac n cheese.

Are you not entertained?! Sorry, for no reason at all, I felt that the Gladiator had to be quoted.

Clearly, I could not choose just one from all of the options available to me, so I went with all of the options that day. Check out the great packaging, but fair warning - these are not microwaveable, an important point that was clarified for each and every customer. 

But enough babble - let's get on with the mac! 

Mac's Mart [$8]
Original Mac, buttered Parmesan Panko bread crumbs, ketchup (optional)
 

The original mac maintained an al dente texture with the creaminess of the cheese interspersed throughout. The Ruffle-style chips added a nice salty kick though overtook the Parmesan Panko bread crumbs in terms of texture and taste. Still, this had all the elements of a good mac n cheese - creamy cheese, al dente macaroni, and texture on top.

Cowboy Cup [$8]
Original Mac, crispy bacon, cornbread crumble, jalapeno ranch drizzle 

The cowboy cup offered a jalapeno ranch drizzle that was subtly sweet, with hints of spice on the finish. Even the cornbread crumble had an innate sweetness that was countered by the salty bacon. Though I typically prefer crispy bacon, I actually enjoyed the meatiness of the bacon here considering there was plenty of texture from the cornbread crumble. 

Pesto Bowl [$8]
Original Mac, basil-pecorino-walnut pesto, Parmesan Panko crunch

As expected, the pesto bowl ventured into herbaceous territory. In fact, as soon as the lid was lifted, the delicious smell of garlic and basil wafted out from within. The Parmesan Panko crunch was more apparent here and offered great texture. With the undertone of pesto, be prepared for a salty, yet creamy bite! 

Spinach & Artichoke Mac [$8]
Original Mac, garlic sauteed spinach, soft artichoke hearts, cheddar cheese shreds, homemade pita chip crisps

The spinach and artichoke was a great interpretation, with each bite emanating the oft-enjoyed dip. The garlic sauteed spinach and tender artichoke hearts were apparent, though the homemade pita seemed to be overtaken, or even replaced, by the Ruffle chips. Regardless, if you like spinach artichoke dip, this is the mac for you!

  
Heart Attack Mac [$8]
Caramelized onions, crispy bacon, Parmesan Panko topping
 

But truly, my favorite Mac Mart Truck mac is the Heart Attack Mac. That shouldn't be much of a surprise considering my gluttonous tendencies. I was able to indulge in this at the 2013 Chinatown Night Market and it was simply incredible - creamy mac n cheese topped with thick-cut bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and a Parmesan Panko crust on top? You can't go wrong with that. The added sprinkle of Frank's Red Hot only added additional flavor and heat to a great mac.

So if you're ever craving Mac n Cheese, don't hesitate to check out Mac Mart Truck's Facebook page or Twitter handle for the latest on all things mac in Philly. You won't be disappointed. Mac Mart Truck recently celebrated their one year anniversary so congrats on that milestone, but here's to decades more mac for Philly's devoted.

http://macmartcart.com/